Jaclyn Friedlander
After
seeing her performance in the independent film The River Within, I knew
she was some body to watch out for, so I wanted to find out more and
let you all know about this talented actor
http://www.jaclynfriedlander.com
1. What has been your favorite role to date?
Layla
in The River Within was a great character and while she has many
similarities to who I am as a person, we are also very different.
2. What do you do to prepare for a role?
It
depends on the role. Sometimes research is required to learn about
hobbies or sports the character plays but other times I get cast as
someone who has a lot of my own character traits so it’s more just
learning their back story and knowing what their relationship is with
other characters in the script.
3. Any techniques to remember lines?
Learning
lines for me is the "easy part". I was Meisner trained and was taught
to know your lines so well that you could say them backwards in your
sleep that way when you get to set and there are lots of distractions
you can focus on acting and never be unprepared.
4. How did you get involved with the film The River Within?
The
director of the River Within, Zac Heath, and I had worked together on a
film for the Hallmark Channel when we were both new to LA. He then
started a production company and told me he had a script that he thought
I would be great in and once I read it I knew I wanted to be a part of
the project.
5. Did you enjoy working on the film?
The
River Within was a wonderful experience. It was a small cast/crew and
everyone was like family by the end. We shot for 3 weeks in Arkansas
and I learned so much not only about film making and acting but also
about life. I have lived in cities most of my life and had never even
seen a tick before. We shot a lot in the woods so that was a new
experience for me. We shot long hours most days, but when we had a day
off everyone would go to a movie together or we would sit around the
pool and play Catch Phrase.
6. How has the internet helped with your career?
The
internet has provided a new avenue for content so a lot more projects
are being made. A writer friend of mine, Stephen Leonard, started
making an animated series for the web and I started doing a lot of
animation voice over work for him which has opened several doors for me.
7. Do you think it’s a useful tool?
I think it can
be a very useful tool for marketing and making yourself know. It is
also a great way for independent film makers to showcase content which
can sometimes lead to the right people seeing it.
8. What don’t you like about Hollywood?
The
driving/parking. It would be nice to have a chauffeur because in Los
Angeles you spend so much time the car. Depending where you are going,
there is always traffic and it would be nice to use that time to learn
lines or make phone calls or do something career productive.
9. How is theater different to you compared to screen work?
I
grew up doing theater from the time I was four years old and I love
it. It is a totally different process because you rehearse so much that
you become really close with all of your cast mates and you know your
character and the story so well. When you do the show, you get one or
two shots at it per day (depending if there are one or to shows that
day) and you live with the character’s journey from start to finish.
When you are shooting commercials or film and television, you do the
same scene over and over from different angles and to get different
pieces of it. Often it is not shot in order and sometimes you meet the
people you are working with the morning of the shoot.
10. Who have you enjoyed working with the most?
That’s
a really hard question because I’ve had the opportunity to work with
some amazing people, a lot of whom I’m great friends with to this day.
One of my favorite experiences if I have to pick only one was when I was
working on a commercial, that never ended up airing. I worked with
Bryan Fenkart , a wonderful actor/musician who was on Broadway and is
now touring as the lead in ‘Memphis’. He was playing a guy in a mascot
suit and I was a playing drive through attendant girl. The director of
the commercial, Geordie Stephens, was really funny and every time we did
a take, he would come over and change things a little bit but we always
got some witty comment or funny note along with the direction. It was
one of those days I wished the commercial shoot was more than a single
day because there were a lot of people on that set I would have liked to
work with longer.
11. What is on your stereo at the moment?
I’m always listening to musical theater or Billy Joel. The CD of the week is Book of Mormon.
12. What movies you have seen lately you have really enjoyed?
I
thought the new Sherlock Holmes was great. I also go see indies my
friends are in and I recently saw a documentary called The Big Fix,
which I really hope gets a wide release because it was amazing!
13. What are your favorite movies?
I
like a lot of older films. His Girl Friday and the original Manchurian
Candidate are my top 2 movies. I’m also a fan of kids movies and would
have to put Newsies and Bedtime Stories on the list.
14. What is next for you?
About
a year ago I created a project called ‘Friends with Fins’ which is
about ocean conservation for kids. I’m currently working on turning
that into a children’s show and it’s also running at an Aquarium in Los
Angeles. Check out the website, http://www.friendswithfins.com.
I’ve already shot a commercial this year, and I am in a short film
called ‘Prelude to Bedlam’ that is about to hit the festival circuit. I
will most likely be with the director, Ty Vasquez promoting it at
Comic-Con. I’m hoping 2012 brings a series regular role on a sit-com
my way, so we shall see! I post updates to my website as well. http://www.jaclynfriedlander.com
15. Who would you most like to work with?
There
are so many talented people I would love to work with. I’m a really
big fan of both Nathan Fillion and the show Castle so I would like to
work with him on that show. I also would like to work with Amy Poehler
on Parks and Recreation. And I would really like to work on a film with
Joan Allen.
